freighted

Freighted is used as both a verb and an adjective. As a verb, freight means to transport goods for payment or to load cargo onto a carrier such as a ship, train, or truck. As an adjective, freighted describes something that is loaded with cargo or burdened by a non-physical load, and it is frequently used in figurative senses.

Origins and usage notes: The term arises from the cargo sense of freight; the adjective form freighted developed from the past participle of the verb. The word has long been part of nautical and mercantile language and remains common in formal and literary contexts.

Literal usage: In literal sense, a vessel or vehicle may be described as freighted with coal, grain, or containers. Figurative usage is common as well, with subjects described as freighted with meaning, history, or risk. The phrase freighted with is often followed by a noun that denotes the burden or significance.

Examples: The ship was freighted with cotton. The policy is freighted with political implications. The manuscript is freighted with a sense of melancholy.

Related terms: Freight, cargo, load, burden, laden, shipping. Freighted is primarily used in formal writing and can convey both physical cargo and metaphorical weight.